Due to a work commitment that was in the diary long before John's passing and which has been impossible to re-arrange ,I won't be able to make it to John's funeral tomorrow.This makes me really sad as I wanted to say goodbye to the big fella just one last time.I will be with you in spirit and will be thinking of JR, his family and all his friends .Sing your hearts out as it is just what John would have wanted . I hope everything goes smoothly and that the turnout befits a fine AUK, PBP ancien and WYDA stalwart. Goodbye John, I won't forget you.

Well, it's done. On a perfect cycling day, John rode into a glorious sunset. The church was packed to overflowing with civvies and cycling jerseys alike. The hymns and eulogies were perfectly chosen and delivered and the respect for The Big Man was palpable. There was also a lot of laughter at the wake, which I'm sure John would have wanted. He would have been staggered by the turnout. All in all, a very humbling, sad but uplifting experience.

Well I barely made it in time and at first sight I thought that I, and others, wouldn't have been able to squeeze into the church - it was that packed. But squeeze in we did and so were privileged to witness a wonderful tribute to a proper chap.

The service was both moving and funny, as it should have been, and had tributes from fellow riders and recollections from John's wife. And hearing the vicar doing her very best to pronounce "Carradice" was nice.

I wasn't able to attend the wake afterwards but seeing the steady stream of riders going by, as I walked back to my car, reminded me of the start of many an Audax. And I thought it made a very appropriate picture.

By the way, the church at Helme is simply gorgeous - I recommend anyone travelling or riding nearby to detour to see it.

John finished PBP 2011 in 89hrs 51minutes, i.e. with 9 minutes to spare. He'd lost his wallet, and then suffered various delays to be reunited with it. In the meantime he'd been loaned 50 Euros, and given free food by the organisation.

When we met him at the end his concern was to pay back the loan forthwith, as he anticipated problems with the chitty he'd been given. The finish line official was at a loss to know how to deal with it, so Heather just took John to see Jean-Gualbert Faburel, who we'd interviewed at the presentation, and the issue was resolved.

There's a club to celebrate taking longer than 88hours 55minutes, which commemorates a US rider called Adrian Hands. I think it's appropriate that John's name should be on the list, and so does John Ende. It's a shame we'll never see John in the shirt. That would have been quite a sight.

John finished PBP 2011 in 89hrs 51minutes, i.e. with 9 minutes to spare.

There's a club to celebrate taking longer than 88hours 55minutes, which commemorates a US rider called Adrian Hands. I think it's appropriate that John's name should be on the list, and so does John Ende. It's a shame we'll never see John in the shirt. That would have been quite a sight.

Been thinking a lot of John in recent days and reflecting on wheel time in his company. Not easy to make it to Yorks but reassured he had a strong farewell. I may sit alongside John in the Adrian Hands Society, as I have just applied for Membership, in recognising my 11minute saving from the 'Cut' in 2011.

I didn't want to intrude on the very moving ceremony, but I did film a few more public scenes to give an impression of the event to those who wanted to attend, but weren't able to. http://youtu.be/IqENT0MIoOA